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| Looking for Gov’t-Issued Terror Alerts? DHS Has Never Used the ‘Terrorism Advisory System’ |
| 2013-04-18 |
| Americans looking for information in the wake of the Boston Marathon bombings were greeted with silence if they turned to the National Terrorism Advisory System (NTAS) for real-time alerts. As of Thursday morning, the Department of Homeland Security notification system has still not sent a single message alerting citizens about the ongoing investigation into the terror attack. In fact, since its inception in April 2011, not a single alert has been sent through its website or social media accounts associated with the NTAS. Naturally, some obvious questions emerge. To begin: If there’s a supposedly-useful and important alert system that hasn’t been employed in two years, what’s the purpose of having one in the first place? To answer this, it’s important to first look at the stated purpose of the NTAS. According to the DHS website setup to describe the system, the public is only notified when there is “credible information about a threat.” Here’s how it works, as per DHS’s description: When there is credible information about a threat, an NTAS Alert will be shared with the American public. It may include specific information, if available, about the nature of the threat, including the geographic region, mode of transportation, or critical infrastructure potentially affected by the threat, as well as steps that individuals and communities can take to protect themselves and help prevent, mitigate or respond to the threat. The advisory will clearly indicate whether the threat is Elevated, if we have no specific information about the timing or location, or Imminent, if we believe the threat is impending or very soon. |
| Posted by:tipper |
| #1 "Proof that Obama has defeated terrorism. Boston is a local crime story." |
| Posted by: swksvolFF 2013-04-18 15:40 |